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01/27/2011
Gian Piero Reverberi: Desiree, Bettina, Alba sul Mare, Columbina, Attima di Magia, Pulcinella, Carousel, Damzel, Seduzione, Mosaico, Risveglio, Rondò Veneziano, Il Progretto: Il Viaggio, Palazzo Fortuni, Perle del Mare, Sinfonia per un Addio, Isole, Marco Polo, La Serenissima, Odissea, Addio a Venezia, La piazza, Prime luce sulla la Laguna, Giocco finale, Segreto
Rondò Veneziano Orchestra, Gian Pietro Reverberi (conductor), Chris Flynn (video director)
Filmed in HD in Venice, at Portmeirion Hotel (Wales), and Calw (Germany) - Maestro's interviews filmed in Geneoa and Munich – 72 mn
FlynnFilm Ref. # 5060130361643: – Dolby Digital AC-3 Stereo – NTSC Format – All Regions
Languages: English, with English subtitles for passages in Italian.
This DVD is announced as a "celebration of the music and life of Maestro Gian Piero Reverberi" music director, producer and founder of Rondò Veneziano. A "celebration" that looks more like a documentary consisting of a casual "conversation" with Reverberi (although interviewer's questions have been cut off), musical excerpts of concerts, an abundance of postcard-like images of Venice, futuristic cartoons (?), and a naïve dramatization of some musical pieces.
Reverberi, who received a solid musical training at Genoa, Italy, Conservatory in piano and composition classes, claims to have "taken the style of Venetian Baroque music, more specifically the Rondò", modernizing it by adding new instruments to his compositions (bass guitar, drums, synthesizer), and incorporating rock-style rhythms. Well, so to speak. The Venetian Baroque style lies more in the period costumes worn by the musicians than in the music. Maybe this is why the composer defines himself as a "cross-over, pop composer", regretting that he is not admitted in the exclusive musical circle of "Classical Composers".
In spite of some hesitation to bestow the title of "classical composer" to Mr. Reverberi, it is a fact that success has never receded in more than 30 years. This music pleases a large audience. Since 1980, Rondò Veneziano has released 73 albums and sold over 24 million CD's. Those numbers speak for themselves and should inspire modesty to those who too easily reject a style and pin disparaging or deprecating labels on musical personalities, under the pretext that they do not fall into an established category.
On a technical standpoint, this DVD, unfortunately, reveals weaknesses both in the filming and in the recording. The sound is flat, with irritating static in the interview passages, and the image quality is just acceptable.
Christian Dalzon
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